CAG: High-speed spectrum lying unused with govt depts

New Delhi, July 18

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on Monday pointed out how spectrum — the band of radio waves — used for mobile communication was lying unutilised with several government departments and asked the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) to get it vacated.

Is of high value

The spectrum in commercially important bands is lying sub-optimally utilised or not utilised at all for years together for various reasons. There is a large quantity of idle spectrum. CAG report

The CAG, in its report presented in both Houses of Parliament, talked about the frequency bands between 2,100 MHz and 2,300-2,400 MHz, saying they have huge commercial value in international mobile telecommunication (IMT). “The spectrum in these commercially important bands is lying sub-optimally utilised with government users or not utilised at all for years together for various reasons. There was a large quantity of idle spectrum,” the CAG said, adding the DoT needed to get the unused spectrum harmonised or vacated.

As per the report titled “Management of spectrum assigned on the administrative basis to government departments/agencies”, the frequency band 2,500-2,690 MHz identified for mobile applications was currently being used for both terrestrial and satellite-based services.

Out of 190 MHz available spectrum, only 40 MHz had been allotted and assigned for mobile applications. Satellites (GSAT 6, 7 and 17) had been launched using 100 MHz for satellite-based services for users. The launch of satellites for using the balance 50 MHz was under process.

Bandwidth capacities on GSAT 29, GSAT 19 and GSAT 11 remained idle for long periods since their launch in June 2017, November 2018, and December 2018, respectively. The Department of Space allotted spectrum bandwidth to users only in 2020-2021, the CAG said. Giving examples, the CAG report said, the Railways had been allotted 1.6 MHz paired spectrum since 2003 on pan-India basis in commercially important 900 MHz band for Mobile Train Radio Communications System. The Railways could commission MTRC equipment only in 57.90 per cent of routes. The report said the decision making in DoT was plagued with adhocism and absence of any permanent mechanism relating to spectrum allocation and utilisation of spectrum among users.